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| From Holy Land Day 4 feb 13 2009 |
Friday, February 13
We boarded our bus by 7:45 am and left the kibbutz. Remember a kibbutz are families and individuals living in community and holding everything in common. They are very popular here in Israel.
Our first stop this morning is Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle. We walked some back alleys and found a Roman Catholic Church, which had a grape press from Jesus time. We read from John 2 about the wedding of Cana and Jesus turning water into wine. It is here for the frist time that the disciples begin to believe in Jesus. The intent of doing this miracle is that the couple and families are not emabarresed or shamed by running out of wine. Jesus wanted equality and acceptance for the families.
We stopped by an Orthodox church across the street but it as closed. Our guide Ezra, reminded us that the Bible did not give an address, but given there was discivered a wine press and jars for purification was a good indication that something happened around this area.
We continue to Nazareth witch is where Jesus parents lived prior to the visit to Bethlehem. We visited the Church of the Annunciation, and Joseph's church which was believed to be the site of his workshop. We talked about how Mary walked to Jerusalem and this distance was 100 miles away. That is 200 miles round trip. That is a long walk. Later--when they fled to Egypt, that walk would have been over 250 miles. Mary and Joseph were in good shape to walk so far through so very rough and desolate country.
On the way in the center of town we stopped at Mary's Well.
We walked through the markets and wounded our way to a synoguge that was from Jesus time.
On our way out of town--going toward Jerusalem, we drove by the cliff that the people of Nazareth was going to throw Jesus off.
We continued to Jerusalem, going by Mt. Gilboa, from which a spring is mentioned in the Bible, 2 samuel and Judges.
Lunch enroute at a Kibbutz.
Our next stop was Beit She'an, to see the excavations and visit the Roman theater. This was an amazing dig of a whole city that help 80000 people. You have to see the picture to believe it.
We drove through the West Bank---which took us by Mt. Nebo (Deut. 34) Moses looked at the promise land and God wouldn't let him enter. It's here tha Moses died.
We went by the city of Jericho (remember the walls tumbling down by trumpets).
The Dead Sea is just across from Jericho (1400 feet below sea level, the lowest place on earth). The drive through this area was wilderness--desert--desolate country. It was just outside of Jericho that Jesus was tempted. It was also tradition that Jesus was baptized by John in this area. Iyt only get about 2 inches of rain a year.
Coming closer to Jerusalme we wnet by the Good Samaritan Inn. Nomad homes that chose to live in the wilderness and watch there sheep and goats.
WE came upon the town of Bethany--the home of Lazarus (Jesus raided him fom the dead) brother to Mary and Martha.
AS we came into the city of Jerusalem, we went to the Mount of Olives. It's on a hill that over looks the city of Jerusalem. It took us by the St. August Luthean Hospital. We stopped at the Mt. of Olives and read Psalm 122. We took time to retell the history of Jerusalem.
Then we drove down the Kidron Valley- by the Garden of Gethsemanie and then by the old wall of Jerusalem. We drove by the valley of Ghenna (valley of hell) on to our hotel (King Solomon).
We ate dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Jerusalem, Israel
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